Be My Downfall
by What's-Yer-Offer
Summary: Ever since they started dating, Minamo demanded that their relationship be kept a secret. High school fic. YukAmo.
1. Chapter 1

**Actually, this story took me by storm...**

**High school fic. They met in a dramatic fashion of course. I imagine it was instant connection and attraction... Minamo would want to keep it a secret. Yukari wouldn't care, to a point.  
**

**If they say it's nothing enough times, you start to believe it. _Without reassurance, how can you keep pretending?_**

**I don't own anything.**

_**"**Wonder how you sleep._**  
**

_I wonder what you think of me._

_If I could go back_

_Would you have ever been with me?"_

* * *

"Oh, Yukari." Mrs. Kurosawa forced a smile as she opened the door for her daughter's loudmouthed friend, "I didn't know you studied."

"On occasion." She answered in English. "Plus Minamo yells at me when I get bad grades."

The older woman stepped aside and let her enter. "She's in her room."

Yukari bit back a snarky comment. Minamo's mother already hated her with a fiery passion, why make it worse? The eccentric teen slipped off her shoes and padded her way to her best friend's bedroom.

"Hey Nyamo!" Yukari greeted loudly as she threw open the door.

From the table in the middle of her room, Minamo sighed. "Yukari. You're late."

"Eh, whatever."

Sitting at the table were two other girls. One she recognized from English and another from her math class. "Hey Misaki-chan, Harumi-chan. Where's Eiko-chan?"

"Eiko-san had to attend a business seminar with her father tonight." Misaki said, not looking up from her English textbook. "Yukari-chan, can you explain this part of speech to me?"

"Yeah, yeah. Give me a sec."

Yukari plopped down between Misaki and Minamo. "What are you studying Harumi-chan?"

"Minamo-san and I have a quiz in math Friday…" She sounded stressed.

"I don't get math," She waved her hand. "So good luck with that."

Minamo rolled her eyes, "We'll figure this out, right Harumi-chan?"

"Maybe."

They laughed as Minamo sweatdropped.

Yukari stretched out under the table, letting her leg rest against Minamo's. The teen glanced over, trying to hide a smile.

"So what did you need help with Misaki-chan?"

Not so subtly, Yukari slid her hand closer to Minamo's. The tomboy didn't move her hand away.

Harumi noticed how close they were sitting and mentally added it to the list of reasons why she suspected they were together. She smirked to herself and shot a look at Misaki, hoping the other teen would look over.

"Oh yeah, you're doing it right! Sorta!" Yukari took her friend's pencil and began jotting down some examples, "See?"

Misaki nodded slowly.

Minamo turned back to Harumi and noticed the look on her face. The knowing smile quickly dissolved as she ducked her head back towards the textbook.

"What's wrong, Harumi-chan?"

"Nothing!" She said in a sing-song voice.

That grabbed Yukari's attention. "Are you planning something, Harumi-chan?"

The teen shook her head and winked at Misaki, who had leaned over the table confused as to what was going on. "It's nothing."

Misaki raised an eyebrow at her friend. Harumi's eyes flicked down at Minamo and Yukari's almost joined hands. Realization dawned on the more studious teen.

Yukari didn't buy it for a second. "Uh huh…" She crossed her arms over her chest, "Harumi-chan…"

"It's nothing, really." Misaki bit back a giggle.

Minamo looked thoroughly confused. Yukari glared at her classmate until she cracked.

"Okay… Well." Harumi rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "Misaki (Hey!) and I were wondering… Are you two, uh, dating?"

Instantly, Minamo's face was aflame. "W-What?"

Yukari stayed silent.

"You two are just so close…" Misaki said meekly. "We assumed-"

"N-No! No!" Minamo laughed, "We-We're not together. Just best friends,"

"That's what I kept telling her!" The air felt awkward. Misaki laughed shortly, "But she kept reading into it."

Harumi pouted, "Don't blame it all on me."

Minamo forced a smile, "We've been best friends since last year."

"Yep!" Yukari said. Under the table, she moved her leg away from Minamo's. "We've been through a lot."

Misaki tapped her pencil against her textbook. "That's like me and Mrs. Science over there…"

"We've been together since middle school though," Harumi grinned.

Minamo half-listened to them banter about how they met and who was smarter at what. She sat hunched over, inwardly fretting. She _knew_ this would happen. There was not a way to keep secrets from anyone. If her close friends found out, they would tell. Their status would fly through the school at the speed of light…

The tomboy bit her lip to keep from making a noise. Her mind raced through all the possibilities. The whole school would find out, people would look at them weird (well, weirder than they already did). The _principal_ might find out. He was old time friends with her mom… If her mom found out-

_Game over._

As Yukari would say.

Drowning in an imaginative scenario, Minamo returned to reality. "Maybe we should get back to studying," she suggested, her voice sounded hollow.

The others reluctantly agreed.

* * *

Harumi and Misaki left not long after the clock struck six. They had been mostly productive; more than once Yukari complained about the lack of snacks but they easily ignored her. Minamo felt more confident in her calculus skills now that Harumi and her had managed to crack the equation. Sighing, the tomboy closed her textbook and fell back onto the carpet.

Yukari laid down beside her, propping her head up in her hand. She leaned over her exhausted friend.

"We've almost been together a year Minamo…" Yukari said with a tight smile.

"A year?" Minamo blew out a breath,

Yukari frowned. That wasn't the response she expected or wanted. "And we still haven't told anyone…"

"Your parents know." Their eyes met. Minamo could see that wasn't a good enough answer.

She repressed the urge to roll her eyes. "My parents know everything."

"I love your parents," She said with a laugh. The tomboy moved an arm to rest under her head.

"Yeah." Yukari moved closer, "Nyamo?"

Minamo felt her cheeks heat up, "Y-Yeah?"

"Can't we tell Harumi-chan and-"

"No."

The brown haired teen huffed and fell away. "No?"

"I don't want this to get out."

Yukari's eyes narrowed. _This_. _Us._ "Okay, nevermind."

Minamo turned her head to look at her girlfriend. Yukari looked pissed. With a sigh, she returned her attention to her ceiling. She didn't know what to say, so she kept quiet. Her own worries about telling people soon overcame her need to calm down the teen beside her.

Yukari squeezed her eyes shut. She inwardly begged and pleaded with whatever god that would listen. _Make her say something._

Her prayers went unanswered for nearly thirty minutes.

"Are you going to stay for dinner?"

"I shouldn't." Yukari rolled over. She snaked an arm across Minamo's stomach and rested her cheek against her shoulder.

Minamo shifted, "My mom could walk in any minute."

The eccentric teen sighed and retracted her arm. "Seriously, Minamo?"

"You know how my mom would react."

Yukari pulled away and sat up. "Yeah, yeah." She threw her study materials in her bag, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

Minamo sat up, planning to walk her to the door.

"You don't have to get up," Yukari shouldered her bag.

"See you, Yukari…"

With a small smile, she exited Minamo's room closing the door behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**So I bought my _pen pal_ the Azumanga omnibus. Sweet jesuis. That was the best investment in anything I've ever made. They are exploding with ideas and are geeking out with me. Success.**

**I'm gonna finish this one up within the week and start on my other stories. There might be one small one-shot to be uploaded soon. Why is this fandom so dead anyway?**

**I don't own anything.**

_"Here we go again_

_Ashamed of being broken in_

_We're getting off track_

_I wanna get you back again."_

* * *

Minamo sat sideways in her seat, talking to another girl on the track team. The upcoming meet was against their rivals, who didn't have good odds to win.

"Yeah, I heard their star athlete had an injury."

Minamo sucked in a breath, "I couldn't imagine-"

She paused at the sound of the classroom door being opened violently. She turned and was somewhat surprised to see Yukari. She looked crazier than usual. Everyone in the classroom had turned their attention to her. However, most were used to the weird teen visiting their homeroom so the class quickly went back to what they were doing. Out of breath and holding a poorly wrapped present in her hand, her girlfriend made her way to Minamo's desk.

"Yo, Nyamo!" Yukari flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder in an attempt to save face from her less than graceful entrance. She glanced at the clock and grinned, "I'm early for once!"

Minamo moved her arm off the desk as Yukari took a seat on top of it. The tomboy felt her ears burn. She could tell some of her peers were watching them out of the corner of their eyes. Her team mate she was talking to before had turned around to give them privacy; still, she shot Minamo a questioning glance.

"Yukari, could you not?"

The eccentric teen's smile faltered slightly. She held out a horrendously wrapped present with a small note on top of the box. Minamo took the present, smiling at the obvious effort her girlfriend had gone through.

"I'm not really good at all this sappy stuff,"

Minamo's heart nearly stopped when Hiroki, who sat to her left, looked over at them. His eyes were wide and head tilted in confusion. Never in a million years did Minamo think Yukari would actually remember the date. Now that Yukari was making a scene in front of her homeroom classmates, she wished the goofy teen _hadn't_ remembered,

"Why do you look so confused? It's for our one year-"

"_Would you please just shut up?"_

Yukari recoiled; mostly shocked at Minamo's outburst. Her tomboy had her head down and was completely red in the face. _Why does she care so much what people think?_ Yukari looked around, staring down those who were looking at them strangely until they turned away.

The brown haired teen turned her attention back to Minamo once their audience was dealt with. "These punks need to mind their own business."

"Y-Yukari, shouldn't you be going to your own homeroom?"

Minamo wouldn't meet her eyes, so Yukari huffed out a breath. "Guess so."

Yukari hopped off her desk and strolled out of the room. As soon as the door closed, all eyes turned back to Minamo. She slid down in her chair, wishing that she could disappear. She stared at the note on top of the present, debating on whether she should read it now or on her lunch break.

Hiroki tapped a finger on her desk to get her attention. "Kurosawa," He raised an eyebrow, "Are you two… you know, together?"

The tomboy shook her head, "N-No!"

He nodded but didn't look convinced. "I think it's kinda hot if you are," He grinned.

"We're not!"

"But…" He frowned as confusion set in, "You look like you'd be yuri."

"E-Excuse me?" Minamo's face burned. She thanked Kami when the teacher walked through the door, effectively halting his harassment.

* * *

"So did you like your present?" Yukari asked with a grin before math class started.

Minamo pouted, "Yukari… You could've waited until later today instead of giving it to me at school."

"What's the big deal Nyamo?"

"People are talking again," The black haired teen sighed, "I just don't want them to get the wrong idea."

_The wrong idea?_ Yukari crossed her arms over her chest, "Oh yeah?"

"That's not what I-" Minamo sighed, "Can we talk about this later?"

Yukari shrugged, "Yeah, whatever."

They sat in silence for a moment before Yukari gasped. Her eyes went wide and she slammed a hand on Minamo's desk, "My anime comes on tonight!" She grinned, "I've been waiting for the season premier since, like, December."

"You mean that weird yaoi anime?"

The eccentric teen narrowed her eyes, "How dare you. _It's not weird_, you uncultured hag."

She then launched into a vague summary of what this upcoming season _might_ be about and who she suspected will get together again and who would break up. Minamo tried her best to understand, but gave up and just listened to her blather on.

"…And so I figured to get all pumped for the episode I oughta go home right after school. I'll pick up some fast food-"

Minamo perked up, "Wait," She frowned slightly, "We're not doing anything tonight?"

"_I've been waiting months for this stupid show to come back on."_ Yukari hissed

"Okay, okay!" She held up her hands in surrender.

The teacher entered the classroom and threw her books on the front desk, "Return to your seats, pupils. Today we're going to cover-"

Yukari got up from the desk she was occupying and crossed the room. Minamo kept her eyes on her. She was disappointed that they wouldn't be spending the day together. Yukari had even ditched their tradition to walk her home after swim practice.

Briefly, she wondered if her girlfriend was mad at her for earlier. But then again, this was just like her. Minamo sighed and wished Yukari wouldn't take her animes and video games so seriously. Even so, she smiled fondly at the teen across the room. As cheesy as it sounded, no one could compare to her hilarious and crazy girlfriend.


	3. Chapter 3

**This one is a short chapter**

**I'll finish this soon! ****Stay tuned!**

**I don't own anything.**

_"I want you to be unused_

_I want you to remember_

_I want you to believe in me_

_I want you on my side"_

* * *

Minamo sat with her legs crossed on her bed. The phone, as always, was on her nightstand. She didn't know whether she should try to call that night. Yukari would no doubt be busy _watching that_ _anime_ _on their one year anniversary night, _which was completely ridiculous and slightly insulting. Although they had no special plans for tonight, Yukari seemed much less excited about today compared to this morning.

_We should talk about that._ She reached for the phone and quickly dialed Yukari's number. After the fourth ring, Minamo finally got an answer.

"Moshi moshi?"

She easily recognized the voice. "Good evening, Mrs. Tankizaki,"

"Minamo-chan! How are you?"

"I'm doing well." She paused, "Um, has Yukari finished watching her show?"

There was a bit of rustling on the other end of the phone. "Kari-chan!"

The athletic picked at her covers, smiling as she listened to Yukari's mother yell at her daughter from across the house. Once the noise died down, Minamo pressed the phone closer to her ear.

"Mrs. Tanizaki?"

The woman on the other side sighed, "She's in the middle of rewatching the episode for the third time."

Minamo smiled sadly, "Okay. Can you ask her when she wants her present?"

"Of course, dear."

There was more yelling.

"Minamo, she said tomorrow at school will be fine."

_Yukari…_ "Okay, I'll talk to you later Mrs. Tanizaki!"

"Take care, dear!"

Minamo pressed the end call button and placed the phone beside her. "Why are you so difficult, Yukari?" She pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"_People asked about us again._" She groaned as she talked to herself. "I-I can't."

There was two sharp knocks on her door. "Minamo," Her mother's voice made her flinch, "Your father and I would like to have a talk with you."

Her heart was beating out of her chest. "O-Okay."

She stood on shaky feet and mentally prepared herself for whatever was about to happen. She had no idea what the chat was going to be about, but she prayed it wasn't about Yukari or school.

* * *

**The Next Day**

"What are _you_ so angry about?" Minamo asked, bumping her shoulder into her friend.

Yukari didn't even crack a smile. She stepped away from her friend. "I'm not angry."

The athletic teen raised an eyebrow. As she opened the door to the school's main hallway, she asked "Is that so?"

"Yep."

Minamo frowned. "So you aren't going to tell me so I can fix it?"

"Nope."

"Yukari…"

The brown haired teen huffed. "Geez Nyamo, lay off."

"Fine."

Their footsteps echoed in the mostly empty hallway. The students of the "go home club" were already long gone. Those left were either part of an academic or athletic club… Minamo waved at some of her swim team members, but didn't stop to chat since Yukari was acting so frosty.

"Is this about yesterday?" Minamo asked, trying to figure out what her problem was. "Or this morning? I've got your present at home…"

"Yukari groaned. "I thought you were gonna drop it."

"I've had to deal with your attitude all day, I don't want to anymore."

"Then don't." Yukari's voice was tense. "I'm going to the library,"

Despite quickening her pace, Yukari couldn't lose her friend. Minamo easily matched her pace.

"Are you going to wait for me after swim practice?"

"I've gotta go home soon, it's my night to cook dinner."

Minamo sighed. "We didn't get to walk together yesterday either…"

The disappointment Minamo felt oozed into every word. Yukari felt her heart clench painfully. _How dare_ Minamo make her feel guilty. It was _her_ damn fault she felt so betrayed. She tried to reign in how frustrated she felt.

"Maybe tomorrow," Yukari opened the door to the stairwell with more force than necessary. It hit the wall with a loud clang. She waved over her shoulder, "See you."

The door thudded close not long after. Minamo wanted to chase after her, shake some sense into her and ask what was wrong. The muffled giggles from her peers stopped her. She let out an angry breath and turned around to go back to the pool.


	4. Chapter 4

**Okay, one more chapter! Will probably finish it tomorrow! (Though if I don't finish it before work, it'll be the next day!)**

**I enjoyed writing the different families. Oh man.**

**Sorry it's kinda short.**

**I don't own anything!**

_"I want you to trouble me_

_I wanted you to linger_

_I want you to agree with me_

_I want so much so bad"_

* * *

Yukari sighed from her place sitting on the countertop in the kitchen. Her legs kicked against the counter's drawers. She had been watching her mother cook for the better part of ten minutes, completely silent.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

She sighed again. "I think I messed up, Mom."

Her mother continued to stir the curry they would be having that night. "What'd you do this time?"

"I kinda fought with her…"

"Why?" She asked

Yukari put her hands in her lap and hunched over herself. "She was acting worse than yesterday. I try to remember she loves me, but when she pretends we're nothing more than friends at school…"

"So you're going to call her and work it out, right?"

"It's not my night to call,"

Her mother walked across the kitchen to the calendar hanging on the wall. She took it off the hook and smacked her daughter with it. "Yes it is! Isn't Thursday your night?"

"… Maybe."

"Call her then."

Yukari huffed, "Mom, you're not much help."

"What did you want me to do? Tell you that you're right?"

"Kinda."

Her mother rolled her eyes and leaned against the counter top on the other side of the kitchen. She smiled ruefully at how upset her daughter looked, "Well, Yukari-chan, you're kinda right."

Yukari almost tossed the calendar at her.

* * *

"What's wrong, Minamo?"

The athletic teen looked up from her untouched food, "Nothing, Mom."

"Is this about the talk we had yesterday?" Her mother's eyes narrowed, "Because I don't think we're asking too much of you."

Her father nodded and cleared his throat. "When I was your age, I wasn't allowed to go out with friends. My life revolved around track and studying."

"If you can't keep your grades up, you won't be able to get into the medical field."

"I know, Mom…" Minamo's eyes fell back to her plate. She had argued with them yesterday about her career choice. They thought she was insane to choose sports over a promising job in a hospital or research facility like them. "It's-It's not that."

She glanced up and noticed how narrow her mother's eyes were. Her heart raced as her mother studied her.

"If you're fighting with that Tanizaki girl, it's best just to forget about her."

"Why would you way that, Mom?"

"She's a bad influence, Minamo."

Minamo repressed a sigh, "Yes, Mom."


	5. Chapter 5

**I was too excited so I finished it now. **

**And then I went through my notebook. _There's so much I need to publish_.**

**I hope anyone who's read this has enjoyed it! In a way, writing this really helped me. When the idea came to me, I was driving as fast I could away from Alabama. I nearly had a wreck reaching for a pen so I could scribble it onto the nearest piece of paper. Even if that doesn't work out, this sure as hell did. So that's all that matters! **

**I don't own anything.**

_"Come on and lay it down_

_I've always been with you _

_Here and now g__ive all that's within you_

_Be my savior a__nd I'll be your downfall"_

* * *

Everything was different today. The air around them, the way they talked to each other… Yukari hadn't reached out to touch her all day.

Minamo was surprised when she walked out of swim practice and her girlfriend was waiting on her. She jogged over to the bench where Yukari sat in the sun, head tilted up and soaking in the rays.

"Yukari…"

"Hey, Nyamo." Yukari tried to smile, despite the heartbreak she was fighting. "How was practice?"

Minamo shrugged, "Coach is preparing us for nationals, so it's getting rough."

Yukari stood from the bench, stretching her arms above her head. "Oh yeah, I forgot you placed."

The two teens began walking towards the school gates. Minamo's teammates chatted eagerly behind them, filling the silence that had fallen over the two. Yukari knew something had to be done today, but she really wished it would end well. As the turned the corner to walk towards Minamo's neighborhood, she rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"Yukari, what's wrong?"

"Minamo…" The brown haired teen groaned, "I love you."

Minamo worriedly glanced behind them and was relieved to see no one following them. "I-I love you too."

"But I give up."

The athletic teen stopped walking. "What?"

Yukari was winded from the wounded look on Minamo's face. She had to stare out into the street instead. "I've always felt we're as close to soulmates as two people can get." She laughed lowly, "But if we keep going like this, we're not gonna make it."

Minamo understood, but it still pained her. "Yukari…"

The other teen blew out a breath. She looked up to the sky, blinking rapidly. "Let's just be friends, Nyamo."

Minamo was on the edge of tears herself. Her life was crashing down around her all at once. Her parent's expectations, her grades, now Yukari… "If-If that's what you want."

Yukari hoped she would've put up a fight. Minamo was just going to let it happen… It broke her heart even more. _Fight for me._ "It's for the best," She said, trying to assure herself more than Minamo.

"I-I'll walk home alone from here…" Minamo's voice broke along with her heart.

When Yukari mustered up the courage to look at Minamo, it took everything in her not to scream out. The person she cared for most looked so beaten and defeated. "See you tomorrow."

Yukari took off running in the opposite direction as a tear slid down her face. _I don't want to give up. I don't want this to end._

Minamo didn't turn around to watch Yukari run away; instead she forced back her emotions as she walked home. _She'll still be your friend. _

After sprinting a couple blocks, Yukari slowed to a walk. Sweat mixed with tears as she tried to get enough air into her lungs. Her emotional rampage had made her omit the fact that she was in no way athletic. As she tried to recover, she felt overwhelmed by how much she ached; emotionally and physically.

The black haired teen greeted her parents as she always did. Her mother sternly instructed her to finish any and all homework and that dinner would be ready at eight. Minamo acted perfectly normal. It wasn't until she reached the safety of her bedroom that she let herself fall apart.

_It's not forever… We just need some time off. Eventually people will stop asking about us and that's when we'll get back together._

* * *

As Tomo eavesdropped on her favorite teachers, she was struck with an epiphany. "Kagura… I think they're lovers or something."

"W-What?!" Kagura's face went read.

"I'm gonna ask!"

The hyper teen rounded the corner, Kagura following close trying to stop her. "Numbnuts! You can't just-"

Yukari stopped talking to Minamo and turned to her students, "Yo. What are you brats doing?"

"Don't call them that," Minamo said with a tired sigh.

"Whatever," Yukari laughed, "So what do you two want?

"So you two went to high school together, right?" Tomo asked eagerly,

Minamo nodded, "Yes."

"How about college?"

"Yep," Yukari smirked.

"And then got a job at the same place?"

The English teacher sighed, "Yeah, so?"

Tomo narrowed her eyes. The two teachers gave her a weird look, so she shrugged. "You two are together, aren't you?"

Kagura studied her coach, who bit her lip and looked away. Somehow, it seemed as much of a confession as Yukari's words.

"Who cares? It's none of your business!"


End file.
